FOR the savvy and budget-conscious traveller, Jamaica may be the best place to get away without breaking the bank this summer. Smartertravel.com recently cited Jamaica as one of the top five destinations for summer travel bargains.

Travellers will reap the benefits of great deals offered by a variety of providers on the island. Orbitz.com, CheapCaribbean.com and Sandals Resorts are all looking to lure tourists during the summer season.

This latest praise adds to a long list of accolades recently awarded to the island. Among them Best Caribbean Destination at the Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Award; Sandals being voted Best All-Inclusive Resort at Travel Weekly's 2008 Globe Travel Awards; Montego Bay being selected by ASTA as one of the Top 10 International Hot Spots in the city category for Summer 2008; and Ocho Rios chosen as Best Destination in Latin America/Caribbean by Trip Advisor in the 2008 Travellers' Choice Destinations Awards.

"As we work to build and enhance our tourism product, it's exciting to see our progress reflected in the all-important opinions of consumers. We feel truly honoured by this new review, which confirms what many travellers already know - Jamaica is indeed a hot destination," director of tourism Basil Smith said.